Latching mechanism



Octo 14', 1947.

G. R. CHERVENKA LATCHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil'ed July 2o, 1945 Oct. 14, 1947. .G,-R. cHl-:RVEKA LATCHING MECHANISM 'Filed Jury 2o, 1945` 2 sheets-skien 2 Patented Oct. 14, 1947 LATCHING MECHANISM George R. Chervenka, St. Louis, Mo., assigner to Fred Medart Manufacturing Company, St. LouisMo., a corporation of Missouri Application July 20, 1945, Serial No. 606,080

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to latching mechanisms, and more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in means or mechanisms especially, though not exclusively, adapted for latching in or to its frame or casing the door of a clothes-locker or the like.

On March 6, 1945, Letters Patent No. 2,370,841 was issued to me for a locker latching mechanism of unique structure, and the present invention is an improvement thereon.

My present invention has for its chief object the improvement generally of such latching mechanism, to the end that picking of the latching mechanism is practically impossible.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets)- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a lockerdoor and its casing equipped with latching mechanism embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the door and its casing taken approximately on the line 2 2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an inside elevational view of the door and its casing;

Figure 4 is a transverse or horizontal sectional view taken approximately along the line 4 4, Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4, showing a latch-member in the act of engaging its keeper in the closing of the door;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the door and latching mechanism, illustrating disengagement between a latch-member and its keeper for enabling opening of the door; and

Figure '7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the co-operable latch-members of the mechanism.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, A designates an apertured frame or casing adapted for closure by a preferably hinged or swingable door B, presently described.

The frame or casing A, in the preferred use of my invention, forms part of a clothes-locker, cabinet, or the like (not fully shown), and of the casing A merely the upright member of jamb I which opposes the free margin of the door B when closed is here illustrated.

n Suitably rlxed on the inner face of the casingjamb I in suitably spaced relation longitudinally 'therealong as best seen inFigures 1, 2, and 3,

is a selected plurality of angular brackets C, and projecting preferably integrally from ea'ch respective bracket C to reside approximately in the door-opening of the frame or casing A, is a forwardly presented keeper 2`approximately in the form of a hook having a bill 3 and an upwardly presented latch-receptive notch, as at 4, the keeper 2 and its bill 3 being preferably beveled, as at 5, along the forwardly presented vertical margin thereof, for purposes shortly appearing. Each bracket C, it might be here stated, also supports a yielding stop or buiTer 6 adapted for cushioning the swingable movement of the door B to closed position.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the main panel 'I of the door B is formed along its free margin with an approximately rectangular housing D comprising an inwardly presented flange or wall 8 having an inturned lateral ange or wall 9, in turn, having its free margin I0 Dresented outwardly toward the inner face of the door-panel l, as shown, the ilange or wall 9 being suitably at corresponding intervals therealong longitudinally slotted orl apertured, as at II, for accommodating the respective keepers 2 on movement of the door B to closed position, as presently more fully appears.

More or less snugly tting for endwise longitudinal movement in the door-housing D, is a latch-bar E approximately of U-shape in crosssection, the bar E having its bight I2 in flatwise contiguous relation to the housing wall 9 and its side walls or legs I3, I3', presented outwardly toward the door-panel I intermediate the housing walls 8 and IIJ, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. As shown, the bar-bight I2 is provided longitudinally therealong with slots, as at I4, for registration, when in door-closing or latching position, with the respective slots I I, and, for purposes presently appearing, the bar-side-walls I3, I3', are suitably punched, as at I5, at corresponding locations therealong and thereby integrally provided with inwardly presented opposed rigid lips or lugs I6, I6'.

F designates the improved latch-assembly or unit which corresponds in number to the number of the keepers 2, and each of which preferably includes 'a pair of complementarily shaped lock-members I1, II, bent inwardly at their lower ends and provided with inwardly overlapping tongues I8, I3', having oppositely angled marginal edges as at I9, I9', for presentation toward 3 the beveled margin of the keeper 2. At their opposite ends, the lock-members I1, I1', are provided with inwardly presented aligned short studs 2|] for retentive entry into a compression spring 2i by which the locking members l1, I1', are normally urged away from each other. By reference to Figure 7, it will be noted that the leaf members are bent inwardly toward each other approximately around the line X-X, therebyV forming a slight line of inflection which acts as a fulcrum against the side-walls of the latch bar E within which they are mounted. Finally, the lock-members I1, I1', are provided in one margin with inwardly cut recesses 22, 22', for engagement with the lugs I6, I6', of the latch bar E. On their opposite margins, and somewhat below the fulcrum line X-X, the lock-members I'I, I1', are provided with inwardly bent stop shoulders 22, 23', which project inwardly and are adapted to abut against each other for preventing the lock-members I1, I1', from being urged too closely together by the spring 2l. It should be noted in this connection that the members are uniquely so designed that the upper portions thereof above the fulcrum line X--X normally lie in flat, face-wise abutment against the inner faces of the latch bar E and therefore assume a stable and relatively firm position within the latch bar E.

So constructed, each respective latch-assembly F is suitably disposed within the bar E with the tongue-equipped ends presented downwardly and interengaged at its recesses 22, 22', with the barlips I6. Each latch-assembly F is thereby mounted upon the bar E with its respective tongues I8, I3', located rearwardly of, in operative registration with, and their opposed oblique or beveled margins I9, I', presented toward, a bar-slot I4.

At suitable intermediate locations adjacent its free margin, the panel 1 of door B is provided longitudinally with spaced slots 24 for accommodating screw or attaching members 25 which engage the upper and lower ends of an angle-plate 26 presented upon the inner face of the door B, as well as also the ends of a handle or manipulative member G presented on the outer face of the door B for convenient manual engagement, the plate 26 having an offset or lateral lip or extension 21 fitting in a slot 23 in the adjacent bar side-wall I3'.

Normally, under the pull of gravity, the bar E is in so-called lower position, when the slots I4 and II and the tongues I8, I8', are in registration for keeper-engagement. Hence, on the door B being swung to closed position, each respective keeper 2 will enter into and through its companion or co-operable registering slots II and I4 and its beveled bill 3 will engage the beveled margins I9, I9', of the tongues I8, I8', and, on continued movement of the door B to closed position, yieldingly or springwise spread and pass between the tongues I8, I8', and travel to the rear thereof, whereupon the lock-members I1, I1', will yieldingly return to normal position with the hook-portion 4 of the keeper 2 engaged by the fiat overlapping rear faces of the tongues, I8, I8'. The door B will thereby be most securely locked in closed position, any pickingf manipulating, or tampering of the lock-assembly F to permit opening of the door B being practically impossible.

However, the bar E, being unlocked may, by means of handle G, be readily endwise shifted or slidably moved in its housing D and the tongues IS, I8', of its several latch-assemblies F thereby elevated, as indicated in Figure 6, from and out of engagement with the several keepers 2, when the door B may be conveniently swung to open position. Of course, on release of upward pull upon handle G, the bar E and latch assemblies F automatically return to normal or door-latching position.

As best seen in Figures l, 2 and 3, handle G is formed with a chambered extension 29 open at its lower and inner sides to accommodate and house, when the latch-bar E is in normal or doorlocking position, an apertured keeper 30 suitably mounted and fixed on the door-panel 1, the housing 29 having apertures in its side walls for registration with the aperture of the keeper 30 for receiving the hasp of a padlock, not shown, for locking the bar E in lowered, and consequently the door B in closed, position.

As shown in Figure 2, a pad 3l is suitably disposed in the housing 29 for cushioning engagement of the handle G with the keeper 30, and preferably a protective plate 32 is suitably mounted on the outer face of the door-panel 1 to eliminate defacing of the door B by an attached pad or hasp lock.

Preferably also the 'door B is suitably provided with a bolt 33 for projection through a slot suitably provided for the purpose in the bar-wall I3' for selectively retaining or locking the bar E and its attached latch-mernbers F in their normal lower or door-locking position.

The latch-mechanism is exceedingly eicient in the performance of its intended functions, and it should be understood that changes and modiiications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the mechanism may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Door-latching mechanism comprising a shiftable latch-bar, a keeper, and a latch-assembly mounted on the latch-bar for latchwise engagement with the keeper, said latch-assembly including a pair of elongated lock-members having inwardly presented overlapping tongues, said members being bent along a line transverse to their length and outwardly with respect to each other to provide a fulcrum about which the member may rock.

2. Door-latching mechanism comprising a latch-bar having opposed parallel sides provided with inwardly projecting ears, and a latch-assembly including a pair of lock-bars having inwardly presentedY overlapping tongues, said lockbars being bent along a transverse line outwardly with respect to each other to provide a fulcrum about which such bar may rock, said bars being provided with recesses located in the region of said transverse line for loose fitted engagement with said ears.

3. Door-latching mechanism comprising a latch-bar having opposed parallel sides integrally connected with a transversely extending barbight and a latch assembly operatively mounted on the latch-bar, said latch assembly including a pair of elongated lock-members having inwardly presented overlapping tongues, said members lbeing bent along a line transverse to their length and outwardly with respect to each other for providing horizontally Vdisposed projecting portions adapted for abutting engagement against the inwardly presented faces of the latch-bar sides in the formation of fulcrums about which the lockmembers may rock, each of said lock'members further being provided upon one of its longitudinal margins with an inwardly projecting flat ear adapted for face-Wise sliding engagement with the inner face of the bar-bight for preventing the lock-members from cooking and being unauthorizedly twisted out of normal position.

4. Door-latching mechanism comprising a shiftable latch-bar, a keeper, and a latch-assembly mounted on the latch-bar for latchwise engagement with the keeper, said latch-assembly including a pair of elongated lock-members having inwardly presented overlapping tongues, said members being bent along a line transverse to their length and outwardly with respect to each other to provide a fulcrum about which the member may rock, said lock-members further being bent inwardly toward each other below said transverse line along a sharply oblique angle to REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357,943 Stamm Feb. 15, 1887 1,923,903 Albach et al. Aug. 22, 1933 2,370,841

Chervenka Mar. 6, 1945 

